Gamini Bandara retires after 33 years of loyal service. Everyone owning Sega machines know this brilliant technician. Gamini began his Amusement career as technical support manager at Tech-Mar Leisure Services (Ruffler & Deith Leisure Company) in 1979. From 1980, he takes care of technical support and distribution of Sega products. His expertise will be put to use in the design of European versions of Sega hits like OutRun, Daytona USA, Manx TT, Sega Rally 2, Derby Owners Club, The House of the Dead, Virtua Fighter and Virtua Striker series, and most recently Sega Golden Gun and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Arcade. He also designed the movements of Cycraft versions of Initial D Version 3, Club Kart and F-Zero AX Monster Ride. He visited Belgium several times, including for the installation of a Derby Owners Club at Sportland in Blankenberge or during Namusco open days in Brussels. He was always of good advice and enjoyed sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge. Gamini Bandara has left his post as Technical Service Manager at Sega Amusements Europe this April 5. Now he can enjoy a well deserved retirement to relax and live his passions... We thank him for everything and wish him much success in his new endeavors!

Stunfest's eighth edition will open its doors in one week. Each year, this video game festival organized by 3 Hit Combo gathers thousands of players in Rennes (Brittany). This event is famous for its tournaments attracting players from throughout the world. This year, arcade tournaments are Garou - Mark of the Wolves, Super Street Fighter III 3rd Strike and Super Street Fighter II X. Tournaments are commented by Ken Bogard. Registration fees range from €5 to €7. Many other arcade machines will be available to the visitors. Music will be granted by live concerts of (mostly) chiptune artists: TH' Mole, DATA Glitch, 2080, Rauberhohle, Jankenpopp and Nate &amp; Jojo. Conferences around the video game theme are organized with themes like "video game and its culture in contemporary Japan" or "heritage conservation and transmission of videogame culture". Note also the presence of independent game developers. Stunfest XII will take place at Halle Francis Querné in Rennes (France) from April 13 to 15. Entrance fee is of €7 a day, €12 for 2 days, and €15 for 3 days. The event will be live broadcast on stunfest.fr.

Today is a great day for fans of oldschool platformers since GunLord is finally available for the Neo-Geo MVS! After the Last Hope and Fast Striker shoot'em ups, German developer NG:DEV.TEAM switches to the Turrican genre where you have to explore nine huge levels in search of diamonds and other treasures. Unlike run n'gun games like Metal Slug, the action is not linear and levels extend in height and depth. You can count on different weapons (spread shot, ricochet blaster, rockets, flamethrower, ...) in your fight against the 45 different types of enemies and huge bosses. GunLord takes place in the world of Last Hope, the scenary is beautiful and enchanting with waterfalls, caves, and old statues and relics of extinct civilizations. All of this is served by a 5-layer parallax scrolling in constant 60 fps! You can see for yourself in the trailer available on YouTube. Two game modes are available: Original and Arcade. In Original mode, you have plenty of time to explore the world around you and in case of death, you reappear nearby, extra lives are scattered throughout the levels. Arcade mode is more difficult since there is a time limit and you must catch bonuses to adds time to the clock. Moreover, the loss of a life will send you back to the beginning of the level and the only way to regain one will be to find all the diamonds in the level. A password displayed on game over allows you to enter the online ranking. The MVS cartridge has a USB port that will be used update the game program through PC connection (bug fixes, additional game modes). The sole cartridge costs €319 but also comes as a collector kit for €419. This package includes a shockbox, two posters and a booklet. Both versions accept coins/credits and can therefore be used for operation. A nice way to revive an old Neo-Geo cabinet.

For the fourth consecutive year, Made in Asia show will be held at Brussels Expo. This time it's in the hall n°6 (greater than last year one) that fans of Asian culture will gather from March 30 to April 1st. A second hall (n°10) is reserved for screenings, concerts, fashion shows, cosplay and other events in the evening. As last year, the show is divided into areas dedicated to a theme. Harajuku and Ikebukuro alleys with artists and young creators, Akihabara area with video games, cultural temple with arts and kitchen workshops, double tatami space for martial arts, Shibuya crossroads with activities, exhibitions, purikura and karaoke box and Shinjuku district with shops. The MIA Night will be held on Friday from 19 to 21 with free access to the exhibition and Yuuki Nanami' concert at 20:30. Saturday and Sunday, the show will be open from 10 to 18 and admission will cost €10 (€8.5 on presale). Prestigious guests will be present: Keigo Sasaki (chara-designer of the series Blue Exorcist/Ao no Exorcist), Masahiro Ando (director of Sword of the Stranger), Tensai Okamura (director of Cowboy Bebop, Darker Than Black, Wolf's Rain,...) and the following artists will be in concert: Trill-Dan, BLOOD, Yuuki Nanami and HITT. As last year, Arcade Belgium will have a stand in the Akihabara area and will organize two arcade tournaments: Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition on Saturday and The King of Fighters XIII on Sunday. Visit the forum for more information on tournaments and enter our contest to win free entrances to the show!

Shining Force Cross Elysium is the third episode of the successful RPG series from Sega. Now up to 8 players can take part to the game (against 6 in previous versions) and now they can join or leave the game at any time to reduce waiting time between plays. As usual, the new version features new weapons, new enemies and various adjustments but it is mainly the addition of a new race that will delight fans: the Dark Wraith (a kind of demon with wings and horns). Shining Force Cross Elysium runs on RingEdge and the game's title song "Awake" is sung by Asami Shimoda. Sega also announced that there would be in-game advertising for Border Break and Shining Blade.

Konami releases jubeat copious APPEND, the latest title of its musical game series, today. New songs are added, including some coming from the lastest GuitarFreaks XG3 & DrumMania XG3, pop'n music 20 Fantasia, REFLEC BEAT limelight, Dance Dance Revolution X3, SOUND VOLTEX Booth,... And tomorrow, it's Quiz Magic Academy Sorcerer's Door that Konami will release. The new feature of the ninth episode of the series is the use of two screens: a 21,5" widescreen and a touch screen offering the player an unique playing comfort. The game includes no less than 180,000 questions, answers can now be typed in either kana or roman and a button allows to change the alphabet used. There are 16 quiz modes available: closed question, multiple choice questions, the player must type the answer, the player must sort the letters of the answer,... In cooperative mode (up to 4-player), players receive amulets when they beat monsters. Once equipped, they produce different effects that will give advantages to promote cooperative play. To celebrate QMA IX release, Konami has added limited edition items in Steel Chronicle such as costumes and hairstyles from QMA and QMA music in jubeat plus and REFLEC BEAT plus (iPad/iPhone verisons of the arcade titles).